


More Than You Know

by ominousunflower



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Ladrien June, Ladrien June 2020, Season 3 Spoilers, ladrien
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-02
Updated: 2020-06-02
Packaged: 2021-03-03 20:08:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24511303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ominousunflower/pseuds/ominousunflower
Summary: Following an akuma attack at the Musée Grévin’s unveiling of Adrien Agreste’s statue, Adrien is nowhere to be found.Ladybug goes looking.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 40
Kudos: 189





	More Than You Know

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Day 2 (Public Eye) of Ladrien June.
> 
> This might take place sometime before the Season 3 finale, but I’m not sure. I didn’t really think about it too hard 😅

“Miraculous Ladybug!”

Glowing beetles swirl around the wax museum, restoring it to its former glory. Ladybug watches as the pool of wax covering the ground reforms itself into statues, and every person who was sucked into the wax reappears on the floor safe and sound.

During the battle, Ladybug had joked that it was like a game of _the floor is lava_ —but surprisingly, Chat Noir had only shrugged in response to the jest.

Ladybug frowns, scanning the crowd for one face in particular. At first, she thinks she’s spotted Adrien—and then she realizes it’s just his statue, with the same blond hair and green eyes, but none of the warmth that his smile usually contains.

With a twinge of embarrassment, Ladybug remembers the statue incident from the last time she was here. Adrien hadn’t minded, of course, but…

“Ladybug,” a voice says from her left.

Ladybug jumps and turns to face Nathalie Sancœur. “Yes?” Ladybug says. Her earrings beep in her ears, reminding her that she has about two minutes until she detransforms.

“We can’t find Adrien anywhere,” Nathalie says.

“What?” Ladybug says. “Adrien’s missing?”

She frantically scans the room again. Is the statue actually Adrien? No, she can’t imagine him playing a prank like that so soon after an akuma attack. He wouldn’t want to make people worry.

Nathalie nods. “He’s not answering his phone, and it seems to be turned off, so we can’t use it to find him.”

Ladybug tries not to frown at the thought of Nathalie using Adrien’s phone to track him—really, do she and Gabriel have to breathe down his neck so much? “I’ll find him,” Ladybug promises.

“Please do,” Nathalie says. “Since your ladybugs didn’t return him to this room, does that mean something has happened to him? Should we alert the authorities?”

“Not necessarily,” Ladybug says, as worry squirms around in her stomach. “Especially if people are nearby, they don’t always get put back in the same spot. I’ll take a quick look around and find him! Maybe he’s in the bathroom or something.”

Without waiting for a reply, she turns and sprints out of the room.

First, because her earrings keep beeping, she ducks into the women’s restroom to recharge Tikki. Sitting on a toilet as Tikki chows down on her macaron, Marinette mentally runs through places Adrien could be. The bathroom? One of the other galleries? Maybe by the entrance?

“I’m sure he’s fine, Marinette!” Tikki says, wiping crumbs from her face. “He’s probably—”

“Tikki, transforme-moi!”

Tikki sighs as she’s sucked into Marinette’s earrings, transforming her into Ladybug once again.

Ladybug dashes out of the bathroom and knocks on the door to the men’s restroom. “Adrien?” she calls. “It’s Ladybug. Are you in there? Um, if you are, sorry to disturb you! It’s just, everyone is looking for you, and—”

The door swings open, and a middle-aged man with a mustache plods out of the bathroom. He squints at Ladybug and pauses. “What are you doing?”

Ladybug’s face burns. “Looking for Adrien. Agreste, I mean! I don’t suppose he’s in there?”

“Nope. Bathroom’s empty.” Shrugging, the man trudges away, leaving Ladybug alone in the hallway.

Sighing, she rushes through an empty gallery, her footsteps echoing against the ground as she whispers Adrien’s name. Upstairs, downstairs—she checks everywhere, and each room is just as empty. The museum was closed to the public for the unveiling of the statue, so there aren’t even normal visitors wandering around.

Marinette had been watching a livestream from her room when the akuma attack happened. She’d seen Adrien run off, but she hadn’t paid attention to where he went.

Sighing, Ladybug visits the last room she has to check, which is where the akuma statues are. She suppresses a shudder as she walks past them, remembering the previous museum battle where the statues had come to life.

The battle where Chat told her that it’s easy for him to say loving words to her, simply because they’re important to say.

Ladybug shakes her head. Words don’t come that easily to her. She wishes Chat was here now, to give her more advice about speaking from the heart…or to help her find Adrien, at least. If only he hadn’t left so quickly after the attack.

At a loss, she wanders to the door of the workshop room—and that’s when she hears a muffled curse from inside.

Frowning, Ladybug presses her ear to the door, but whoever is inside doesn’t say anything else. She tests the door handle and finds that it’s locked.

“Adrien?” she calls tentatively.

There’s no answer, but the door clicks as someone unlocks it.

Ladybug takes a deep breath to steel herself, then slowly opens the door.

She scans the room, and at first, it seems empty. There are various supplies strewn around—a timer sitting on one table, a partially finished head on another—but there isn’t anyone standing in the room. 

Then a quiet voice says, “Ladybug?”

Ladybug glances down at the ground to her right. A figure is sitting on the ground, their back against one of the wire shelves, their knees pulled up to their chest. The familiar blond hair, along with gray slacks and a blue dress shirt that Ladybug recognizes from the livestream, send a jolt of relief through her.

“Adrien!” she says. “What are you…”

He sniffs and swipes a hand across his face. “Sorry. I guess everyone is looking for me?”

His face is turned away from her, so Ladybug can’t see for sure—but it almost sounds like he’s been crying.

“Of course they are!” Ladybug says, then winces. “I mean, um, they’re worried about you. Not that you did anything wrong! It’s just, uh…why are you in the workshop?”

Adrien is silent for a moment. Then he pulls his legs even closer to his chest, almost like he’s trying to curl into the smallest shape possible. “Are they _really_ worried about me?” he whispers.

“What do you mean?” Ladybug asks. “I mean, the event’s in your honor, so obviously…”

“Right,” Adrien says, his voice hoarse. “I guess they don’t want to lose their special guest.” He groans and presses his face to his knees. “I don’t want to go back out there.”

Ladybug circles around to his other side—careful to avoid knocking over any supplies—and lowers herself to the ground next to him. “Adrien,” she says, gently touching his shoulder. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m overreacting,” he mumbles.

Ladybug frowns. “I…don’t think you are, if it’s got you this upset.”

Adrien sighs. It feels like a minute passes before he finally says, “I’m tired of these promotional events. Especially ones where it doesn’t feel like anyone sees me.”

“I guess you don’t mean literally,” Ladybug says, stupidly.

Adrien snorts. “No, they have eyes. I just mean…some days, I don’t feel any more alive than that statue of me.”

Ladybug’s eyes widen, and she fights the urge to tackle Adrien in a hug. What does he mean by that? That he’s numb inside? Or that he feels like no one sees him as a person?

“Wait, no,” Adrien says. He sighs, rubbing his eyes. “That came out wrong. I mean, yeah, some days I’m stressed and emotionally drained, but—what I meant was, people don’t treat me like a human being.” He shakes his head. “But why am I complaining? I’m rich and famous. Everyone’s jealous of me. I shouldn’t say stuff like this.”

“No!” Ladybug exclaims, and Adrien flinches at the volume of her voice. “Sorry,” she says, more quietly. “Adrien, no. I’m only famous when I’m Ladybug _,_ and it’s hard enough. Having to deal with that all the time must be awful.”

“Careful,” Adrien says, with a half-smile. “I’ve just narrowed down your identity to the millions of people around Paris who _aren’t_ famous.”

Ladybug laughs. “You caught me.” Her smile quickly fades. “I’m sorry. I understand why you feel upset. Um, do you want to…talk while I listen? I don’t think a Lucky Charm will help with this, but maybe my ears will.”

Adrien’s nose wrinkles. “Aren’t you going to detransform soon?”

“I recharged before looking for you. I only had a couple minutes left when Nathalie asked me—”

“Nathalie!” Adrien says. Cursing, he rocks forward into a crouch and starts to get up, but he stops when Ladybug grabs his wrist. “I forgot, everyone’s looking for me. I should get back and—”

“No, wait,” Ladybug says, tugging lightly at his wrist. “Stay and talk to me. We can go back later.”

Adrien hesitates, then lowers himself back to the ground. Ladybug reaches forward and brushes some dust off the shoulder of his shirt.

He sighs. “Part of it is being in the public eye all the time. I just—it’s tiring. All the times I’ve been to this museum, it’s involved getting my statue made. Because I’m famous, so of course they want a statue of me.”

“Right,” Ladybug says.

“Why can’t I just…go to a museum? Or the movies?” Adrien shakes his head and throws up his hands. “The one time I was allowed to go to the movies, it was for a promotional event for a movie that I’m in. Almost everything I do is a photo op, and even if something isn’t, it becomes one once the paparazzi find me.” His voice trembles as he adds, “And they _always_ find me.”

“Adrien,” Ladybug whispers. She wishes she could help him, but there’s not much she can do except listen. “Keep going?”

“I can’t do anything without people watching me,” Adrien says. “It’s like I said. I don’t feel like a person, sometimes. Just a brand or a product.”

“You’re a person to me,” Ladybug blurts out. She grimaces and squeezes her eyes shut. “I’m sorry, that—I didn’t mean to interrupt with something stupid. But…” She cracks an eye open and finds Adrien watching her, one of his teeth digging into his lower lip. “I care about you, Adrien. It doesn’t matter to me that you’re famous. Sure, I have to save you a little more often because of it, but that’s the only difference.”

Adrien’s teeth peek out in a smile. “I don’t mind being saved by you, bug…uh, lady. Ladybug.”

Ladybug giggles. Apparently she’s not the only person who sometimes mixes up their words. “And, uh—I don’t mind saving you! I love it. I mean, um, I don’t love the whole you-being-in-danger part, but…it’s nice to get to talk to you, every once in a while.”

Silently, she assures herself that although this is awkward, it’s at least going better than the last conversation she had with Adrien in this room—which involved her telling him that he wasn’t her good friend, and then yelling _TOILETS_ before fleeing.

“I like talking to you, too,” Adrien says. “And I’m glad you don’t care that I’m famous. I feel like a lot of people do. Even my friends…”

He trails off and frowns, staring at the far wall.

“Your friends?” Ladybug prompts.

“I don’t know,” he says. “Sometimes I think they can’t relate, or…like, I have one friend who’s always nervous around me. And she’s said she likes me, so, I mean—it must be because I’m a celebrity, and she’s intimidated, right? I don’t know what else it could be.”

Ladybug winces when she realizes he’s probably talking about her. “I’m sure it’s something else.”

“Maybe,” Adrien murmurs. “I just…” He shakes his head, eyes glistening with tears. “Sorry,” he says, voice cracking. “It’s hard to talk about.”

“Can I give you a hug?”

Adrien presses his lips into a thin line. “Is that okay?”

“Of course it’s—”

She grunts as he dives into her arms, pressing his face to her shoulder. Instinctively, Ladybug’s hand moves to stroke his hair. She can’t feel how soft it is with her suit in the way, but really, that’s the least of her worries when Adrien is upset and clinging tightly to her.

He’s silent for a moment—probably collecting himself—and then he says, “I wish I was normal. No celebrity, no photoshoots, no red carpet events or magazine articles or paparazzi or…any of that. I’d just be some nobody who no one’s heard of.”

Ladybug stares at the multicolored boxes on the shelf above them. She’d never realized Adrien disliked being famous that much. Sure, she’d guessed that he got frustrated sometimes—like that time he and Marinette had to outrun the mob of fans—but she wouldn’t have guessed that he hated it.

“That’s one of the reasons I’m jealous of you,” Adrien says, which somehow surprises Ladybug even more. “Because what you just said, about not being famous when you’re a civilian…I wish I had that. I wish I could take off a mask and have a life where I can walk down the street without people swarming me.”

“What are the other reasons you’re jealous?” Ladybug asks, her curiosity getting the best of her. She yelps. “Wait, no, I’m sorry—don’t answer that—”

“It’s fine.” Adrien shifts slightly, moving so that his head is resting against Ladybug’s shoulder. She tries to ignore the way her heart skips a beat. “The other reason is…um, why you’re famous.”

“Fighting dangerous supervillains?”

Ladybug feels awful the moment she says it. Because Adrien _had_ almost been a superhero, once—but it hadn’t worked out. Is he still bothered by the fact that he wasn’t able to fight alongside her? Maybe he really wanted the chance to protect Paris.

“Not that part,” Adrien says. “I can do that anytime I want.”

“What? How?”

“Um.” Adrien pauses. “I mean, all you really need is to move fast and wield a heavy object, right?”

“No,” Ladybug says. “Absolutely not. You could get hurt as a civilian! You need to stay as far away as possible from akuma attacks.”

Adrien snorts. “Will do.”

“I don’t like your tone.”

Adrien laughs louder at that. “I’m kidding. Obviously, I’ll leave the akuma-fighting to the superheroes. But…” He sighs. “People look up to you. They talk about how brave you are, and kind, and smart…and you’re all of those things!” He leans back and looks up at her, his green eyes sparkling with something like adoration. “I lo—admire you so much for all of those things. I completely agree with what people say. You’re phenomenal, Ladybug.”

Ladybug’s cheeks heat at the praise. “S-so…you’re jealous of me because…?”

Adrien’s brow furrows. “Right. I…I’m not famous for any of those reasons.”

“That’s not…” Ladybug trails off. She wants to say it’s not true—that she thinks Adrien is just as brave, and kind, and smart as people say she is. But the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes that he’s not really known for any of those things.

Adrien smiles sadly. “You figured it out, then. No one cares about any of my qualities—although, I don’t really know what those are. Maybe I don’t have any that are worth admiring—”

“Stop!” Ladybug nearly shouts. She grabs Adrien’s shoulders, her fingers curling in the crisp fabric of his shirt. “Don’t you dare finish that sentence. There’s so much about you that’s worth admiring. You’re so kind to everyone—even Chloé, although I don’t know _how_ you have the patience for her—”

“I’m immune to her,” Adrien says, rolling his eyes.

“And you’re brave. You pushed me out of the way when Riposte attacked me, and you got injured in the process! And I hear you’ve saved your friends during a few battles, too.”

“Oh.” Adrien rubs the back of his neck, his cheeks a light pink. “That’s nothing, really.”

“And I know you’re smart. I’ve heard you’re at the top of your class.”

Adrien raises an eyebrow. “Where did you hear that?”

Ladybug shrugs. “I have sources. But, Adrien, there are so many reasons to love you. Don’t think for a second that you don’t have any admirable qualities.”

Adrien stares at her, his mouth partly open. “Um. Reasons to…love…me?”

“I mean!” Ladybug slaps a hand over her mouth. “Not that _I_ love you—I mean, I could! Definitely. I just don’t know you that well—ack! But I know you enough,” she adds, in case he thinks that her compliments were unfounded. “So, really, in theory, I could love you. Um, maybe I do! Who knows. You were saying?”

“I…think _you_ were saying,” Adrien says, looking slightly dazed.

Ladybug swallows nervously. “You’re amazing,” she says. “And it has nothing to do with how famous you are.”

Adrien’s cheeks darken even more, until they’re a bright blotchy red. It’s funny, that his blush is like that—not smooth, like the blush meticulously applied with a makeup brush—but that only makes Ladybug love it more. Without thinking, she reaches up to cup his cheek, and Adrien lets out a tiny gasp.

His eyes dart away, crinkling in a smile. “Thank you,” he murmurs.

“Sorry!” Ladybug says. She snatches her hand away—and then Adrien’s own hand darts out, catching her wrist.

Slowly, keeping his eyes on hers, he presses his lips to the back of her hand in a kiss.

Ladybug can barely feel the kiss through her suit, but it’s enough to make her face break out in a hot blush of its own.

“Really,” Adrien whispers. “Thank you. I—you…” He shrugs. “I…can’t tell you how much that means to me.”

Ladybug nods, her brain too busy screaming to come up with a comprehensible response. She’s not sure she’s ever seen Adrien look that softly at anyone—and the shy way his eyes are avoiding hers, the sweet smile curving his mouth, it’s almost too much. She’s so full of love that she feels like she’s overheating.

This, _this_ is something that the statue of Adrien can never capture. The kindness in his smile, the gentleness in his voice, the love in his eyes; wax can’t depict that.

Adrien clears his throat. “Right! Well, I’m not in danger, so…I should probably let you go.” He stands and brushes off his pants, then holds out a hand to Ladybug.

“Right!” Ladybug repeats. She takes his hand and lets him pull her to her feet. “Um, are you okay to go back?”

Adrien shrugs. “I’ll just fake a smile like I always do.” His shoulders slump, and he glances out the window. He almost reminds Ladybug of a creature in a cage, staring longingly at the sunlight—and in a way, that’s sort of what he is. “It’s just, earlier, hearing the sculptors go on and on about the statue…how well they depicted my gorgeous eyes, and my nice figure, and my _kissable mouth_ , and…” He scowls and shakes his head. “Because that’s all that matters, I guess.”

“It does look kissable,” Ladybug agrees, nodding. Then she squeaks. “I—I’m so sorry! Not that I was thinking about—I mean—”

“Were you?” Adrien asks, eyes wide—though it almost seems like there’s a bit of hope in them.

“N-no!” Ladybug says. “I was…thinking…about your cheek! Your…kissable cheek.”

“Oh.” Adrien squints at her. “I guess it’s also kissable, yeah.”

“But I’m so sorry, Adrien,” Ladybug says. “I wish I could go out there and tell everyone how amazing you are, and that it has nothing to do with your good looks.”

Adrien raises his eyebrows. “But they _are_ good looks, then?”

“Don’t fish for compliments,” Ladybug says, folding her arms. “I think I’ve already given you enough.”

Adrien laughs, and it’s a beautiful sound—light, carefree, and yet another thing that his statue can never capture. “Fair. But don’t worry about me, Ladybug. I’m used to people seeing me as a famous model. And, I mean, that’s the reason they made a statue of me, so…it makes sense that the speakers would talk about that.”

“Well, I don’t like it,” Ladybug says. Tentatively, she grips Adrien’s arm. “Adrien, you were really upset earlier.”

“I know, and I shouldn’t have—”

“No,” Ladybug says, gently but firmly. “You were right to be upset. They’re not treating you like a person, and honestly, they have no right to introduce you or your statue.” An idea occurs to her, and she snaps her fingers. “I have an idea.” 

“You do? For what?”

“I’m going to introduce your statue.”

Adrien’s eyes widen. “You—what?”

“You heard me,” Ladybug says. “Because you _do_ deserve to have a statue made of you, but not for the reasons they think. And I’m going to tell them.”

“Oh, no,” Adrien says, “Ladybug, you don’t have to—”

“Nope!” Ladybug says, holding up a hand. “I’ve made up my mind. And if anyone asks, we’ve been gone so long because I was begging you to let me do it.”

“Technically, you kind of _are_ begging me.”

Ladybug’s cheeks burn. “Please let me do this?” she asks, her voice softer. “I can’t do much for you, but I can at least do this.”

“You’re wrong,” Adrien says.

“What? I—how?”

“You do so much more for me than that,” Adrien says. He takes a step forward and grabs one of Ladybug’s hands, interlacing his fingers with hers. Smiling softly, he adds, “You just don’t realize it.”

Ladybug stares up into his eyes, frozen. She’s reminded of the last time they were in this museum, when her lips barely brushed his, just a second away from finding out how soft they really feel.

Twice now, so close—and maybe another time, in another place, she’ll finally be able to close that distance.

Blushing, Ladybug stands on her tiptoes and presses her lips to Adrien’s cheek. Then she pulls away, her thoughts completely scrambled, and watches as Adrien slowly touches the spot she kissed.

“Um.” He blinks. “Wow.”

“I—I admire you a lot, Adrien,” Ladybug says. “I hope you know that.”

He nods silently, his fingers still brushing the spot that she kissed.

“And, um, I was right!” Ladybug says, smiling awkwardly. “Your cheek is very kissable.”

Adrien rubs the back of his neck. “I bet yours is, too.”

What?

Adrien’s eyes flick away. “I mean, I could find out?”

“Okay. Yes. Um. Sure.” Ladybug clenches her jaw, resisting the urge to facepalm. “I mean, it doesn’t hurt to check!”

Smiling, Adrien leans down and kisses Ladybug on the cheek. “Thank you, Ladybug,” he whispers, his breath puffing against her skin. “For everything.”

“In-including those things I don’t realize?” she asks, struggling to remain coherent.

Adrien’s smile grows wider still. “Especially those.”

They stare at each other for a long moment, and so much love swells in Ladybug’s heart that she’s not sure what to do with it. Finally, though, she clears her throat—because if they don’t leave soon, she’s fairly certain she’ll do something stupid. (Or, well, something stupider than the several things she’s already done.)

“We should go back,” she says. “Are you ready?”

“With you by my side?” Adrien asks. “Always.” 

Ladybug tilts her head to the side, not quite sure what he means by that. In the end, though, it doesn’t matter. She _is_ by his side, even when he doesn’t know it, and she’s going to support him no matter what.

“Alright,” Ladybug says. Smiling, she takes his hand. “Let’s head back, then.”

She might not always know how to say her love—but certainly, she’ll never hesitate to show it.

**Author's Note:**

> So, last night (June 1), I was looking at the Ladrien June prompts, trying to decide which one to write...and I was like, "Oh! I have an idea for the Public Eye prompt." Then I realized that prompt was for the second day 😂 Somehow, I managed to finish this in time, but there might still be some mistakes that I didn't catch.
> 
> Hope y'all enjoyed!


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